The Committee considered a report that provided an opportunity for Members who had attended meetings of the Local Strategic Partnership ("LSP") as observers, to report back on what they had observed regarding conduct and procedures at the meetings.

Members considered a report that provided details of complaints, compliments, commendations and comments for the period July - September 2009.

The Committee were informed that the Authority had received 236 complaints which compared to 209 for the same period last year and 438 compliments and 116 commendations which compared to 435 commendations in the same period last year. Breakdowns by service area of these figures were provided, together with key messages arsing from the details.

Consideration was given to a further report regarding details of anticipated changes to the current code of conduct for local authority members. A further case study was also provided for consideration under the provisions of the present code and under the likely provisions of the proposed new code.

The Committee considered a further report regarding predetermination and bias and was again provided with details of a checklist presented at the 2009 Annual Assembly of Standards Committees by Simon Bird QC, Deputy President of the Adjudication Panel for England. A further case study was also included for the Committee to consider, taking into account the checklist.

Consideration was given to the updated version of the Standards Committee Forward Plan. Members were again asked to consider whether there were other matters which should be included in the programme for future meetings. Members also received the Councils Statutory Forward Plan.